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Farmers Still on the Lookout for Anthrax
Sragen - The Livestock Service Office of Sragen District in Central Java is giving treatment to cattle in that area after anthrax cases emerged in the district. On Monday (30/5), officers gave antibiotic treatment to 1,041 cattle in 3 subvillages in Brojol village, Miri subdistrict, Sragen district.
The office is also still isolating livestock to the region to prevent further spread. Before, animal containment was only applied to two villages, Sambiduwur village in Tunun subdistrict and Brojol village in Miri subdistrict, where the disease incidence was first discovered in May 7th.
But now the livestock containment order has been extended to Bulu subvillage in Boyong village, Miri subdistrict, and Saraden village in Karangmalang subdistrict after anthrax cases were found in those two areas on Wednesday and Friday last week.
Head of the Livestock and Fishery Service Office of Sragen District, Eka Rini, said that based on recommendations from the Disease Investigation Center in Yogyakarta, the area should be isolated for 14 days after the last case occurred.
Animal Health Officer of the Livestock Service Office of Sragen District, Agus Toto Tribuono, said in accordance to the information from the Disease Investigation Center in Yogyakarta, Sragen is also declared as anthrax endemic. Last year, similar cases were found in the region.
Therefore the service office is giving medication to livestock in areas affected by the disease. The treatment involves two times injection and will be given before the animals are vaccinated. The total number of cattle in the 4 areas is estimated to be over 5000 heads.
Farmers are also continuously educated to maintain house and animal sanitation. The Livestock Service Office of Sragen is also trying to eradicate blood-sucking flies.
Blood-sucking flies could serve as an anthrax vector, passing it on from one animal to another through biting. “What I’ve noticed during mass treatment in Brojol village this day was the abundance of blood sucking flies that we should be careful of,” he said.
Meanwhile citizens in Brojol village, Miri subdistrict, are starting to calm down after 13 people were infected by anthrax in the previous weeks. Head of Rejosari III subvillage in Brojol village, Yoso Purnomo, said people are in general less anxious. (WIE)
Source : Kompas